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Gurasis Singh, hailing from Punjab’s Ludhiana, was stabbed to death by his roommate following a physical altercation in the kitchen.
The Indian student stabbed to death hailed from Punjab. (Representative Image/ANI)
A 22-year-old Indian student was stabbed to death by his roommate in Canada’s Sarnia on December 1. Gurasis Singh, hailing from Punjab’s Ludhiana, was an international student studying business at Lambton College in Sarnia.
According to Sarnia Police, the victim was identified as Crossley Hunter, 36, who was arrested and remanded into custody, and faces a court appearance on Friday. The accused and the victim were known to each other as they shared space in the same rooming house, police said.
Police responded to a 911 call at a residence in Sarnia’s Queen Street at 4:59 am on December 1, where they found a deceased man with multiple stab wounds and took Hunter in custody. The accused and the victim reportedly engaged in a physical altercation in the kitchen, following which Hunter grabbed a knife and stabbed Singh multiple times.
Hunter has been charged with second-degree murder and will appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in London on Friday afternoon. Police have asked the public to respect and stay away from the scene of the crime.
“The Sarnia Police Criminal Investigations Division continues to gather all available evidence to determine the circumstances surrounding this criminal act and what, if any, motive may have existed that led to the murder of this young man. At this time, we do not believe this crime to be racially motivated,” the police said in a statement.
Lambton College in Sarnia has also expressed condolences over the death of the student. “Students are at the heart of Lambton College, and the loss of a student is a tragedy of the highest magnitude. We extend our deepest condolences to everyone impacted by this devastating loss,” it said.
According to the Sarnia Observer, the incident sparked an outpouring of grief, anger and demands for change. Many pointed to key changes needed for housing and safety for international students in Canada while others have pointed to racism and drug and crime issues in Sarnia.
“Gurasis came to Canada full of dreams and aspirations, just like so many of us who leave behind our families and homes to build a better future. This devastating incident has left an irreplaceable void in his family’s life, who are now left grieving thousands of miles away,” said Kawalpreet Singh Mann, a fellow international Lambton College student, in a post on Facebook.
